Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Influence Of High School Activity Portfolios On Risky Behaviors In Emerging Adulthood, Lisa A. Kort-Butler, David D. Martin

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Extracurricular participation in adolescence is often linked to the development of a prosocial identity and social relationships. Through these social psychological mechanisms, participation is thought to prevent risky behavior in adolescence and into emerging adulthood. This study examined the relationship between high school activity portfolios and risky behaviors (i.e. binge drinking, drug use, and law violation) among a college sample. Five activity portfolios were identified, including sports-focused, low involvement, highly engaged, and two combination portfolios. There were significant differences between portfolios on social psychological measures (e.g. prosocial beliefs and social responsibility), current extracurricular involvement, and risky behaviors. Regression models indicated …

Using A Calendar And Explanatory Instructions To Aid Within-Household Selection In Mail Surveys, Mathew Stange, Jolene D. Smyth, Kristen Olson

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Although researchers can easily select probability samples of addresses using the U.S. Postal Service’s Delivery Sequence File, randomly selecting respondents within households for surveys remains challenging. Researchers often place within-household selection instructions, such as the next or last birthday methods, in survey cover letters to select respondents. Studies show that up to 30% of selections are inaccurate and samples tend not to represent key demographics. This article tests two design elements—a calendar and explanatory wording of selection instructions in cover letters—to aid and motivate households to carry out selection procedures accurately. We empirically examine these elements in two mail surveys …

Examining The Nuance In Public Opinion Of Pro-Lgb Policies In A "Red State.", Mathew Stange, Emily Kazyak

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

The red-blue state and urban–rural narratives— which depict that people living in red states and rural areas oppose pro-LGB policies—are popular frames for describing variation in public opinion of LGB policies by geographic re- gion. In a test case of a red state, we examine public opinion of pro-LGB policies to assess the accuracy of the red–blue and urban–rural narratives. Using data from a survey of Nebraskans (n = 1608), we found that public opinion was more nuanced than the red state narrative allows but that urban and rural respondents reported significantly different opinions of pro- LGB policies. Rural people, …

Characteristics Of Mothers Caring For Children During Episodes Of Homelessness, Melissa L. Welch-Lazoritz, Les B. Whitbeck, Brian E. Armenta

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

This study provides a description of the physical, psychological, and substance use problems of adult homeless women who are and are not caring for children. We also examined differences in the characteristics of these two groups of women. Interviews were conducted with 148 homeless women from three mid-sized U.S. cities, 24.3 % of whom were caring for at least one child. Our results showed that women caring for children were more likely to be sheltered and have health insurance. Homeless women caring for children and solitary homeless women were generally similar in terms of substance abuse problems. However, rates of …

Expanding Mental Health Consultation In Early Head Start: Recommendations For Supporting Home Visitors In Increasing Parental Engagement, Samantha L. Pittenger, Tori R. Van Dyk, Alayna Schreier, Michelle Haikalis, Mary F. Flood, David J. Hansen

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Early Head Start strongly emphasizes the importance of intervening with the entire family to promote healthy child development. Parents, in particular, are recognized as their child’s most important teacher. While Early Head Start performance standards currently mandate mental health consultation to identify and intervene with child mental health problems, there is little direct focus on the role of consultation in managing parental mental health concerns. This is problematic given that a wide body of literature outlines the impact of parental mental health on engagement in home-based programs such as Early Head Start. Investigations within the home visiting field have also …

The Effects Of Social Anxiety And State Anxiety On Visual Attention: Testing The Vigilance–Avoidance Hypothesis, J. Suzanne Singh, Michelle C. Capozzoli, Michael Dodd, Debra Hope

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

A growing theoretical and research literature suggests that trait and state social anxiety can predict attentional patterns in the presence of emotional stimuli. The current study adds to this literature by examining the effects of state anxiety on visual attention and testing the vigilance– avoidance hypothesis, using a method of continuous visual attentional assessment. Participants were 91 undergraduate college students with high or low trait fear of negative evaluation (FNE), a core aspect of social anxiety, who were randomly assigned to either a high or low state anxiety condition. Participants engaged in a free view task in which pairs of …

The Impact Of Ethnicity, Immigration Status, And Socioeconomic Status On Juror Decision Making, Russ K.E. Espinoza, Cynthia Willis-Esqueda, Suzette Toascano, Jennifer Coons

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

The purpose of this research was to examine how ethnicity, immigration status, and socioeconomic status (SES) may contribute to juror bias. A total of 320 Euro-American venire persons were as- signed to 1 of 8 criminal court trial transcript conditions that varied defendant ethnicity (Mexican or Canadian), immigrant status (undocumented or documented), and SES (low or high). Dependent measures were verdict, sentencing, culpability, and trait attributions. Results indicated that the low-SES undocumented Mexican defendant was found guilty more often, given a more severe sentence, thought to be more culpable, and rated lower on a number of trait measures compared with …

Examining The Reinforcement-Enhancement Effects Of Phencyclidine And Its Interactions With Nicotine On Lever-Pressing For A Visual Stimulus, Natashia Swalve, Scott T. Barrett, Rick A. Bevins, Ming Li

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Nicotine is a widely-abused drug, yet its primary reinforcing effect does not seem potent as other stimulants such as cocaine. Recent research on the contributing factors toward chronic use of nicotine-containing products has implicated the role of reinforcement-enhancing effects of nicotine. The present study investigates whether phencyclidine (PCP) may also possess a reinforcement-enhancement effect and how this may interact with the reinforcement-enhancement effect of nicotine. PCP was tested for two reasons: 1) it produces discrepant results on overall reward, similar to that seen with nicotine and 2) it may elucidate how other compounds may interact with the reinforcement-enhancement of nicotine. …

Adolescent Olanzapine Sensitization Is Correlated With Hippocampal Stem Cell Proliferation In A Maternal Immune Activation Rat Model Of Schizophrenia, Shinnyi Chou, Sean Jones, Ming Li

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Previous work established that repeated olanzapine (OLZ) administration in normal adolescent rats induces a sensitization effect (i.e. increased behavioral responsiveness to drug re-exposure) in the conditioned avoidance response (CAR) model. However, it is unclear whether the same phenomenon can be detected in animal models of schizophrenia. The present study explored the generalizability of OLZ sensitization from healthy animals to a preclinical neuroinflammatory model of schizophrenia in the CAR. Maternal immune activation (MIA) was induced via polyinosinic:polycytidilic acid (PolyI:C) administration into pregnant dams. Behavioral assessments of offspring first identified decreased maternal separation-induced pup ultrasonic vocalizations and increased amphetamine-induced hyperlocomotion in animals …

Acculturation, Gender, And Active Life Expectancy In The Mexican-Origin Population, Marc A. Garcia, Jacqueline L. Angel, Ronald J. Angel, Chi-Tsun Chiu, Jennifer Melvin

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Objective—This study examines the potential effects of nativity and acculturation on active life expectancy (ALE) among Mexican-origin elders.

Method—We employ 17 years of data from the Hispanic Established Population for the Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly to calculate ALE at age 65 with and without disabilities.

Results—Native-born males and foreign-born females spend a larger fraction of their elderly years with activities of daily living (ADL) disability. Conversely, both foreign-born males and females spend a larger fraction of their remaining years with instrumental activities of daily life (IADL) disability than the native-born. In descriptive analysis, women with low acculturation report higher …

The Effect Of Mindfulness Practice On The Personal And Professional Lives Of Hospice Bereavement Counselors, Heather R. Floyd-Haupt

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This exploratory study was conducted to examine the perceptions of hospice bereavement counselors' and how mindfulness practices impact their work with bereaved clients. Additionally, this study looked at the self-defined practices of participants and collected rich narratives of their personal and professional experiences with mindfulness. Using interviews with hospice bereavement counselors, this investigation found that all of the 10 participants described that mindfulness provided them with enhanced awareness through the use of self-nurturing rituals. These exercises helped all participants in three areas: to quiet the mind, improve physical awareness, and to serve as inspiration in their work. The study concluded …

The Impact Of Identity On The Experience And Management Of Bipolar Disorders, Lisa M. Jaffe

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This mixed-method thesis explores the impact of Identity, operationally defined as the framework from which individuals interact with the world, and on the lived experience and symptom management of bipolar disorder. I created an online survey for participants to use as my research tool, utilizing a standardized scale, the Sense of Self Scale (SOSS), in conjunction with my ow Likert scale items for the quantitative component, and open-ended questions for the qualitative component of the research. A positive correlation was found between self-identified symptom management and SOSS, showing that individuals with a higher sense-of-self score did have better management of …

Capacity For Humanity : An Exploratory Study Into The Use Of Affiliative Humor With Clients Who Experience Paranoid Symptomatology, Lisa Orenstein

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The purpose of this exploratory study was to investigate clinicians' experiences and perceptions about the use of affiliative humor as a means of establishing a bond with a client whom experiences paranoid symptomatology. This population in particular is the most difficult to initially engage and develop a therapeutic alliance with due to their severe level of mistrust and propensity towards misinterpreting interpersonal situations. Therefore, the objective of this study was to explore one means of navigating this barrier. Additionally, the findings of this study not only indicate that affiliative humor can be used successfully while working with this population, but …

The Only One : Exploring Identity Development In Black Adolescent Girls Who Are Both Educated And Raised In White Spaces, Jessica L. Ricardo

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This theoretical study offers insight into how racial isolation experienced by Black adolescent girls living and educated in white spaces hinders their overall wellbeing and sense of identity. By focusing on Black adolescent girls who are raised and educated in predominantly white settings, my research adds and expands the often rigid and incomplete narrative that is found in academia regarding the psychosocial functioning and development of Black adolescent girls. This research uses both Erikson's model for Adolescent Development and Objectification Theory to illuminate the challenges posed by the encompassing experiences of racial isolation on positive self-image and identity development for …

The Kids Feel (More Than) All Right : A Study Exploring The Subjective Experiences And Perceptions Of Adult-Male Children Raised In Planned Lesbian Families As Relates To Their Gender Development, Naomi D. Drexler

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The purpose of this study was to explore the subjective experiences and perceptions of adult-male children of planned lesbian families as relates to their gender development. Furthermore, this study sought to explore if/how adult-male children of planned lesbian families perceive their family form to have impacted their constructions and expressions of masculinity and male identity. No study to date has exclusively, nor deeply, explored the subjective experiences and perceptions of this particular population as relates specifically to their gender development. This qualitative study relied on intensive interviewing as its data collection method. Interviews were semi-structured and conducted in person or …

Love-Melancholy : Revolt Against Mourning, Samantha R. Chaplin

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The aim of this paper is to consider the phenomena of love-melancholy through an object relations framework, conceiving of this phenomena as a revolt against mourning. The theoretical framework utilized is the early object relations concepts introduced by Freud in his 1917 paper Mourning and Melancholia and elaborated by object relations theorist Melanie Klein in her later works. Using the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) as a case example, this writer identifies a developmental process that occurs in resolving the pain of love-melancholy, emphasizing mourning the lost love object as necessary for establishing hope for future attachments.

"If You Talk To God, You Are Praying; If God Talks To You, You Have Schizophrenia" : Distinctions Between Psychosis And Spiritual Experience Among Christians, Jennifer Callaghan

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Many clients within the current system who are diagnosed with psychotic spectrum disorders, such as schizophrenia, present with what mental health professionals often consider to be hallucinations and delusions with religious or spiritual content. However, these presentations often have striking similarities to spiritual experiences, in which an individual may report having a prophetic-type experience or some type of otherworldly communication that is embedded within their value and belief-system. The present study seeks to explore how these attributions are made and which contextual factors are associated with individuals' interpretations of these ambiguous presentations. A sample of 177 Christian adults living in …

A Study Of How Love Is Experienced Over Time In Non-Heterosexual Relationships, Michelle Okun

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study explored how love is experienced in long-term non-heterosexual relationships. This study used the Triangle of Love Scale to assess how reported levels of passion, intimacy, commitment, and relationship satisfaction are experienced at different stages within relationships. In addition, individuals self-reported on factors that potentially impact relationship satisfaction and reported levels of intimacy, passion, and commitment. A sample of 185 non-heterosexual participants who reside in the US, are over the age of 18, and have been in a relationship for two or more years, was obtained. Participants completed an online survey and provided demographic information, completed the Triangle of …

Could It Be A Brain Injury? : Difficulty In Identifying Clients With Brain Injury In Psychotherapeutic Work, And Best Means Of Clinically Supporting Clients With Possible Brain Injury, Sarah E. Gordon

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study explored the experiences of brain injury survivors as clients in psychotherapy in order to learn whether mental health professionals are properly screening for brain injuries, the factors that may inhibit mental health professionals from screening, the factors that may inhibit clients from disclosing their histories of brain injuries; to identify the psychotherapeutic needs specific to clients living with brain injuries; and to identify the best means of serving this client population. Nine adult brain injury survivors, ranging in age from 29-70, answered nine openended research questions during one of three focus groups. One participant was interviewed individually. Participants …

Ego Development And Anxiety During Emerging Adulthood, Alexander M. Rascovar

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Emerging adulthood is a time period wrought with many life changes (Arnett, 2000); therefore, periods of anxiety that are distressing and may potentially disrupt or challenge ego growth can be expected. This study addressed the question: What is the relationship between anxiety and ego maturity in emerging adulthood? Wayment, Bauer, and Sylaska (2014) asserted that the ego in higher levels of development is less defended. This means that the defensive personality organization in the "quiet ego" is integrated in higher-level defensive adaptation, but it remains unclear how Sullivan's (1953) concepts of anxiety might interact with varying levels of ego development. …

Altruism In Relationship To The Therapeutic Process : An Exploratory Study Of The Perspectives And Experiences Of Clinical Social Workers, Leslie M. Hammer

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

While engaging in altruism has been found to be therapeutic in many settings including mutual aid groups, there is a lack of empirical data regarding altruism in the context of clinical social work with individuals. Using qualitative methods, this study gathered perspectives on the current state of altruism in clinical social work, and inquired specifically about the use of altruism as a clinical tool. Semi-structured interviews were completed with 13 licensed clinical social workers. Participants varied in their perspectives about engaging in conversations about altruism with clients and the therapeutic use of participating in altruistic acts. Clinicians expressed being guided …

Gang Stalking : Internet Connectivity As An Emerging Mental Health Concern, Elizabeth E. Dietrich

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study examines emerging concerns about small online social communities that purport to support their members, but which in actuality exacerbate mental health issues. Here, the author focuses on one such community that has gone unstudied: The Gang Stalking community. Here, individuals who seem to suffer from Delusional Disorder come together and discuss their experiences of being stalked by a multitude of people in concert with the sole aim of creating terror in their lives. These people call themselves Targeted Individuals. The support that these individuals find on gang stalking websites soothes their amorphous anxiety about being watched, but in …

The Women Of The Past Who Paved The Path For Our Future, Desalyn Swank Graybeal

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

"In November of 2014, we celebrated the 100th year anniversary of the establishment of the National Communication Association (NCA). It is important to examine the history of the NCA from as many angles and as perspectives as possible to fully appreciate where the NCA is today and how it got here. This thesis is intended to add yet another historical perspective to the NCA, reflecting the importance of the female presidents of the association. The purpose of this thesis is two-fold: to conduct a numeric analysis on the genders of the NCA presidents and to note the contributions and importance …

Heteroskedasticity Of Unknown Form In Spatial Autoregressive Models With A Moving Average Disturbance Term, Osman Dogan

Publications and Research

In this study, I investigate the necessary condition for the consistency of the maximum likelihood estimator (MLE) of spatial models with a spatial moving average process in the disturbance term. I show that the MLE of spatial autoregressive and spatial moving average parameters is generally inconsistent when heteroskedasticity is not considered in the estimation. I also show that the MLE of parameters of exogenous variables is inconsistent and determine its asymptotic bias. I provide simulation results to evaluate the performance of the MLE. The simulation results indicate that the MLE imposes a substantial amount of bias on both autoregressive and …

Female Social Connectivity Through The Leadership And Movement Progression Of Tibetan Macaques At Mt. Huangshan, China, Gregory P. Fratellone

All Master's Theses

The present study investigates the leadership and progression of collective movements of Tibetan macaques (Macaca thibetana) found in Mt. Huangshan, China. I gathered information on their movements and social networks through all-occurrence, focal and scan sampling. I hypothesize that high-ranking females lead more collective movements than males as they have highly structured social bonds. I also predict that movements weighted by female presence are more efficient as societies are matrilineally structured and females are more socially connected. There were a total of 128 successful collective movements recorded over a 2-month period. There was no significant effect of sex, …

Moving Foward?: Problematic Ideologies In Twenty-First Century Fairy Tale Films, Alyson Kilmer

All Master's Theses

Fairy tales, as a reflection of our values and belief systems, are crucial in shaping and maintaining cultural ideologies. In the twenty-first century, cinematic fairy tales have the unique position of representing such values in an expansive and expeditious manner. Audiences must therefore be critically conscious of the messages promoted by these tales. An analysis of the five most popular contemporary fairy tale films, Disney’s Princess and the Frog (2009), Tangled (2010), Universal’s Snow White and the Huntsman (2012), and Disney’s Frozen (2013) and Maleficent (2014), revealed minimal attempts to propitiate critical audiences in regard to changing cultural values, but …

Renewing Spokane: A Study Of Motivating Forces Behind Downtown Revitalization Projects, Kara K. Mowery

All Master's Theses

This study examines the motivating forces behind downtown urban renewal projects through qualitative interview research. Using Spokane, Washington, as a case study, interviews were conducted with key players in downtown revitalization, including public administrators, private developers, and non-profit representatives. While neoliberal theory indicates that economic return serves as the primary motivation for investment, interview questions were designed to uncover whether additional motivating factors stimulate renewal work. Results indicate that those conducting renewal projects are primarily motivated by economics, but additionally cite heritage preservation values and community development as significant factors. Moreover, contemporary renewal projects are found to be small-scale endeavors, …

The Economic Impacts Of Forest Pathogens In Washington State: A Hedonic Approach, Logan Blair

All Master's Theses

An increase in the incidence of forest pathogens in the Western US has created new resource management issues. In this research I employ a dataset of 170,141 housing transactions in twelve Western Washington counties to quantify the impacts of parasitic forest damage on the proxy real estate market. Specifically, I estimate a set of hedonic fixed effects models to control for omitted variable bias and spatial autocorrelation. Results show statistically significant impacts on property values in the presence of species specific and aggregate defoliation, suggesting new information for forestry management and policy.

My Family, My Identity: An Ethnohistorical Exploration Of A Multiethnic Family, Sarah Oosahwee-Voss

All Master's Theses

This thesis focuses on family identity in a time when multiethnic couples are increasing in population. How will this populace choose to define who they are? The purpose of this thesis is to focus on a multiethnic family, specifically one with different tribal heritages, and explore how their identity was formed over time and maintained through various times in their history. Multiple ethnographic methods were utilized in tandem to collect the information. A framework was then created to determine the main themes found throughout the history and information compiled in order to define the core values within their family identity. …

Behavioral Response Of Pacific Lamprey (Entosphenus Tridentatus) To Predator Odors, Laurie L. Porter

All Master's Theses

Pacific lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus), a species facing serious threats to their existence, experience a number of challenges in reaching their desired spawning grounds during the adult migratory phase, and predators are suspected to be one of these challenges. Understanding if Pacific lamprey respond to predator odorants may provide a management tool for use in conjunction with attractants in guiding lamprey to suitable spawning habitat and deterring them from poor habitat. Previous research has failed to explore Pacific lamprey response to predator odorants, although much research exists on attractant odorants. In our study, we tested Pacific lamprey response to …